Smut-cleaner.



D. A. MAANUM.

SMUT CLEANER: APPLICATION FILED 313.25, 1910,

964,290. Patented July 12, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

1H: NORRIS PETERS co., wasnmarmv, n. c.

D. A. MAANUM.

SMUT CLEANER.- APPLIOATION FILED F3125 1910.

964,29, Pafiented July 12,1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.-

mto zmma THE NORRIS PETERS cc., WASHINGTON. u. z:v

llNlT DEDRICK A. MAANUM, OF CLONTARF, MINNESOTA.

SMUT-CLEANER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 12, 1910.

Application filed February 25, 1910. Serial No. 545,889.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DEDRIOK A. MAANUM, a citizen of the United States,residing at Clontarf, in the county of Swift and State of Minnesota,have invented new and useful Improvements in Smut- Cleaners, of whichthe following is a specification.

This invention relates to a machine for cleaning and removing smut fromgrain and consists of that type which the grain is fed into a curingsolution or washing liquid and removed therefrom by an endless conveyer.

The invention has for one of its objects to improve and simplify theconstruction and operation of machines of this character so as to becomparatively simple and inexpensive to manufacture, reliable andefiicient in use and readily adapted for different kinds of grains.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel arrangement ofgrain feeding means and an endless conveyor for moving the grain throughthe washing liquid and carrying the same to a plate over which thegrains roll in their ascent, whereby a sort of scrubbing or cleaningaction is produced, there being a screen above the plate for permittingthe liquid to flow back into the liquid containing tank, so that wastewill be prevented.

WVith these objects in view, and others as will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention comprises the various novel featuresof construction and arrangement of parts which will be more fullydescribed hereinafter and set forth with particularity in the claimsappended hereto.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate one embodiment of theinvention, Figure 1 is a side view thereof. Fig. 2 is a longitudinalsection. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the machine. Fig. 4 is a perspectiveView of the screen. Fig. 5 is a sectional perspective view of the hopperand feed regulator therefor.

Similar reference characters are employed to designate correspondingparts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawing, A designates the tank, that contains thewashing solution or liquid and in the present instance, the tank isshown as an ordinary wash tub in which the apparatus is set. Theapparatus comprises a hopper 1, which has which are an inclined bottom2, which cooperates with an inclined end wall 3 to form an approximatelyV-shaped chamber, the sides of closed by side walls 4. The bottom 2 hasits lower edge slightly spaced from the wall 3 to form an outlet 5 forthe material contained in the hopper and under the outlet is an inclinedmaterial guiding plate 6, which may be a continuation of the inclinedwall 3 of the hopper. The feed of the material is regulated by a valve7, which extends across the outlet or opening 5, and is supported by oneor more rods 8, each movable longitudinally by a nut 9, so that thevalve can be moved toward or from the bottom 2 at the outlet and thusvary the area of the opening through which the material flows.

Connected with the bottom of the hopper is an upwardly inclined chute orelevator 10, which consists of a bottom plate 11, which is bent upwardlyat 12 to connect with the bottom of the hopper and this upwardlyextending portion 12 cooperates with the material guiding plate 6 toform a secondary hopper 13, through which the material passes to thewashing liquid, the lower portion of the secondary hopper being open andprovided with a screen 14- to permit the liquid to freely enter thelowermost portion of the chute, the side walls 15 of the latter beingsolid so as to prevent the entrance of liquid, except through the.screen 14.

The bottom 11 extends along only the lower portion of the chute orelevator and the upper portion is open, and at this opening is arrangeda combined screen and drain device for permitting the washed grain todrain while passing over the screen and the dripping from the grainflows back into the tank A. This device comprising a frame 16, which hasa solid bottom 1'? and secured to the frame and spaced from the bottomis a flat screen netting 18, disposed substantially in the same planewith the plate 11 of the elevator duct or chute. The frame 16 extendsonly around three sides of the device and is open at the bottom so thatthe liquid draining from the grain can return to the tank. This combinedscreen and drain device is removably supported on the upper portion ofthe chute 10 by means of hooks 19 engaging buttons or projections 20 onthe sides of the frame 16. The upper end of the chute is connected bybraces 21 with the top of the wall 5 of the hopper so 1 into the tub ortank. The screen and drain that a durable and rigid structure is proidevice can be removed for the purpose of duced. On these braces ismounted a horizontal shaft 22, that has an operating crank .23 at oneend and also a sprocket wheel 2% around which passes a sprocket chain25. In the upper end of the chute 10 is a horizontal shaft 26, which hasa sprocket wheel 27 with which the sprocket chain meshes. ()n this shaftand arranged within the chute is a sprocket wheel 28 around which passesthe upper end of a continuous conveyer chain 29, the lower end of whichpasses around a sprocket wheel or idler 30 rotatably mounted in thebottom of the chute. On the chains 29 are arranged spaced buckets orvanes 31, which move the material through the liquid and over the plate11 and screen 18 and finally discharges the material out of the upperend of the chute or elevator. The shaft 26 is mounted in slidablebearing boxes 32, that are adjustable by means of screws 33 so that boththe driving chain 25 and conveyer chain can be simultaneously loosenedor tightened as required. In the lower portion of the elevator or chuteis arranged a plate 31 which extends from one side of the chute to theother and is disposed parallel with and between the upper and lowerflights of the conveyer chain, the bottom portion of the plate enteringthe liquid for preventing the grains from circulating around thesprocket wheel.

In practice, the smut machine is set into a tub-e or other tank, whichcontains the washing liquid, the depth of the latter being such that aconsiderable portion of the bottom plate 11 of the chute or elevatorwill be above the level of the liquid, or in other words, the liquidwill reach approximately to the upper edge of the screen 14. Thematerial is now supplied to the hopper and the feed controlled byproperly setting the valve 7. The driving shaft is then operated byturning the crank so as to cause the endless conveyer to operate. Thematerial flows from the hopper along the plate 6, which has its loweredge terminated between the sprocket wheel and upwardly extending wall12, so that it will not interfere with the buckets of the chain passingunder it, or with the grain flowing between it and the wall 12. Thegrain is thus presented contlnuously to the successive buckets, whichmove downwardly into the liquid and then upwardly along the bottom ofthe chute or elevator, carrying the grain through the hquid and upwardlyout of the same over the plate 11 and screen 18.

The grain picked up by each bucket will recelve a rolling motion as itpasses over the plate 11 and as considerable liquid is carrled by withthe grain a sort of scrubbing action will result and by the time thegrain reaches the screen, the water can drain back cleaning or forsubstituting a different screen Whenever occasion requires. It will thusbe seen that the grain does not remain 7 long into contact with thewater and a highly efiicient cleaning action is produced. Andfurthermore, the liquid is kept in circulation since it enters the chuteat the bottom and drains back from the chute through the screen at theupper portion of the bot tom of the chute. It will be noted that theapparatus is bodily removed from the tank and is in fact a separateunitary structure and can be lifted ofi the tank when the washing liquidis to be removed.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawing, the advantages of the construction and of the method ofoperation will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art to whichthe invention relates, and while. I have described the principle ofoperation of the invention, together with the device which I nowconsider to be the best embodiment thereof, I desire to have itunderstood that the apparatus shown is merely illustrative and that suchchanges may be made when desired as are within the scope of the claims.

lVhat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters-Patent is 1. In amachine of the class described, the combination of a main hopper havingan opening in its bottom, an elevator having its lower end disposedunder the hopper, a plate extending from the hopper into the elevatorand cooperating with the end wall of the latter to form a secondaryhopper,

a valve controlling the feed from the main to the secondary hopper, anendless conveyer for carrying the material through the elevator from thesecondary hopper, a portion of the bottom of the elevator being open,

and a removable screen and drainage device at the said opening, with atank in which the no lower end of the elevator is submerged, said screenbeing disposed outside the elevator and having its lower end extendinginto the tank. 7

2. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a hoppercomposed of clownwardly inclined walls spaced from each other at thebottom to form an outlet, one of the walls projecting below the outletto form a guide for the material, an elevator connected with the hopperand extending from one side of the same, means for bracing the upper endof the elevator from the hopper, means for admitting liquid to the lowerend of the elevator where the material passes off the said extended wallof the hopper, a combined screen and drainage device forming a portionof and separable from the bottom of the elevator, and means forremovably mounting the said device on the elevator, an endless conveyerprovided and the lower end of the combined screen with buckets andextending longitudinally and drainage device extending into the tank.1.0

of the elevator with its bottom flight dis- In testimony whereof I aflixmy signature posed in cooperative relation with the botin presence oftwo witnesses.

5 tom of the elevator, and a driving mech- DEDRICK A. MAANUM.

anism for the conveyer, with a tank in which WVitnesses: the machine isremovably mounted with the A. A. RoBnRTs,

lower end of the elevator submerged therein T. A. MAANUM.

